Assembled honeycomb

ABSTRACT

The invention refers to the field of ceramics and relates to an assembled honeycomb, such as can be used, e.g., as a catalytic converter for cleaning exhaust gases. 
     The object of the present invention is to disclose an assembled honeycomb that is assembled from honeycomb segments with simple cross-sectional shapes with only few variations. 
     The object is attained through an assembled honeycomb, composed of at least two honeycomb segments, whereby the outer cross section of a honeycomb segment is a quadrangle with included angles of 60° and 120° or of 60° and 90° and 120°, and the lateral surfaces are in contact with one another in the interior of the assembled honeycomb, and in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb the corners of the outer cross section meet or are connected to one another by adhesive force as an extension of their sides at least at two but no more than five points, and the assembled honeycomb as a whole has a convex outer geometry with an outer cross section that is convex overall.

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of German Patent Application No. 10 2006 036 498.8, filed Jul. 28, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The invention refers to the field of ceramics and relates to an assembled honeycomb, such as can be used, e.g., as a catalytic converter for cleaning exhaust gases, as catalyst substrate and/or as a filter, and as a heat exchanger and light-weight element.

As a filter the assembled honeycomb according to the invention can be used in particular for cleaning exhaust gases generated by diesel engines in motor vehicles, construction machinery, locomotives, marine engines or stationary emergency power-generating sets.

Honeycombs of ceramic materials have been used for many years in environmental technology and the automotive industry for treating and cleaning exhaust gases. The honeycombs are thereby composed of a plurality of elongated channels with different cross-sectional shapes, which channels are separated from one another by thin ceramic webs. Honeycombs of this type are preferably shaped by extrusion (extrusion molding) of a plasticized ceramic mass through a die, then dried and fired (sintered). The shape of the channels and the outer shape of the honeycombs are established by the design of the extruder die. In principle, an endless strand is formed by extrusion. A honeycomb is then formed by cutting off vertically or at an angle to the direction of extrusion, which honeycomb has, e.g., prismatic outer contours; the base area of the prism (e.g., triangular, rectangular, square, hexagonal, etc.) is determined by the contours of the die, as stated above.

Depending on the choice of ceramic mass and the subsequent treatment steps, in terms of materials the honeycomb can be composed of very different ceramic materials, e.g., aluminum oxide, Cordierite, mullite, titanium oxide, aluminum titanate, silicon carbide, silicon-silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, carbon and various ceramets. However, in principle, it is also possible with this method to extrude and sinter masses of metallic powders and to therewith produce metallic honeycombs, e.g., of high-temperature-resistant alloys, such as Ni-based alloys or FeCrAl or FeCrAlY. The porosity of the materials can differ in quantity (pore volume), form and size. For applications as a catalytic converter, special catalyst materials are extruded, e.g., TiO₂ with WO₃ and V₂O₅ for the NOx reduction of flue gases and exhaust gases (so-called DeNOx catalytic converters) or hexaaluminates for high-temperature combustion. Or for applications as a catalyst substrate, the channel walls of the honeycombs are subsequently coated with so-called washcoats to increase surface, in which washcoats, in turn, catalytically active substances, e.g., noble metals such as Pt, are embedded.

For exhaust gas cleaning of, e.g., solvent-containing exhaust gases from paint shops, the honeycombs are coated with adsorbents, e.g., zeolites or with activated carbon. Lithium silicates, for example, can be used for the adsorption of CO2 from combustion gases. The harmful constituents are removed from the exhaust gas and concentrated in the regeneration gas through alternating flow through with exhaust gas and with a gas for regeneration. Heat exchangers work in a similar manner, in which the honeycombs are first heated with a hot gas and subsequently, by switching over to a cold gas, this is heated up while flowing through.

In a special embodiment the channel walls of the honeycombs are made from a material with open, i.e., continuous porosity, and the channels are alternately closed several millimeters deep on both end faces such that each channel is closed on only one side and channels closed on one end face are adjacent to channels that are not closed (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,162). In this manner a gas stream is forced to flow through the porous channel walls, whereby particles are filtered out of the exhaust gas stream and gaseous constituents are very effectively cleaned by the above-mentioned catalyst coatings. Honeycombs of this type have been used very successfully in recent years as diesel particulate filters.

In the above-mentioned technical applications monolithic honeycombs are rarely used for various reasons, instead several individual honeycombs are connected (by adhesion, sticking or clamping) to form an assembled honeycomb (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,585) by joining to one another the lateral prism walls lying parallel to the flow direction. With respect to the assembled honeycomb, the individual honeycombs from which it is constructed are referred to below as honeycomb segments. These honeycomb segments are likewise composed of a plurality of elongated channels of different cross-sectional shapes that are separated from one another by thin ceramic webs. The individual channels of the different honeycomb segments lie parallel to one another in the connected honeycomb. There are various reasons for assembling honeycombs:

-   -   On the one hand, to produce large honeycomb cross sections a         correspondingly large die and extruder cross section would be         necessary, which would be technically complex and would cause         great difficulties during burning (sintering) of the honeycombs,         so that it is easier to assemble individual honeycomb segments         after burning to form one large body.     -   On the other hand, temperature gradients occur in the honeycomb         with many technical applications, which, depending on the         coefficient of expansion and thermal conductivity of the wall         material, leads to thermomechanical stresses that can cause a         distortion or the occurrence of cracks in the honeycomb. The         relief of such stresses in a honeycomb is likewise achieved by         using segmentations. If the honeycomb segments lie loosely         against one another and are held only by their shape, e.g., by         an external tensile force, each segment can expand and move         virtually freely, so that the thermal stresses at the interface         are completely relieved. However, it is often necessary to         connect the individual segments to one another by adhesive force         in order to achieve a higher overall strength of the assembled         honeycomb or to ensure the joints are leak-proof with respect to         the exhaust gas to be cleaned. This is achieved by gluing or         sticking the honeycomb segments to the above-referenced prism         walls, whereby the connecting layers should have a defined         thickness and a lower modulus of elasticity than the material of         the honeycomb segments. Moreover, the adhesive layers usually         have a lower strength than the honeycomb segment material, so         that in the event of excessive stresses, the adhesion joints are         more likely to tear than the honeycomb segment material, so that         the functionality of the assembled honeycomb is initially         maintained.

It is easy to understand that the geometry of the honeycomb segments influences the outer geometry of the assembled honeycomb, which in turn determines whether the body achieves the outer geometry required for the respective technical application, or whether this has to be produced by a laborious reworking procedure.

However, the size and geometry of the honeycomb segments also considerably influence essential properties that are important in the production and application of the honeycombs. Thus, for example, the size and the outer shape of the honeycomb segments influence their mechanical strength depending on the load direction. With thermal load, the geometry of the honeycomb segments has a strong impact on the temperature distribution in the segments and in the assembled honeycomb, and on the mechanical stresses occurring due to the thermal expansion

Through the combination of the honeycomb segments to form an assembled honeycomb, contact surfaces and contact edges are formed in the interior of the assembled honeycomb. Seam lines and contact points of the sides or corners of the cross sections of the individual segments result in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction.

The geometry of the honeycomb segments thereby has a strong impact on the number, size and position of the contact areas and contact edges located in the interior of the assembled honeycomb. The geometric shape of the honeycomb segments therefore has a great impact on the mechanical stability of the assembled honeycomb here too. This is very important in the processing of the honeycombs as well as in use.

These segmentations are used to a large extent in particular with diesel particulate filters of silicon carbide (e.g., EP 0 816 065, EP 1 142 619). Typically, individual honeycomb segments with a square cross section (with rounded corners) are glued to one another to form a large block. Special gluing geometries and gluing materials are thereby designed to achieve improved durability (e.g., EP 1 291 061, WO 2005/084782, WO 2005/071234).

When honeycomb segments with square cross section are used, as described in EP 1 508 356, in the cross section 4 contact points are formed at the corners of the segments, which is relatively advantageous. The stability of the individual segments under mechanical stress perpendicular to the flow direction is likewise relatively good and unfavorable only in the direction of the cross-sectional diagonal. Straight continuous seam lines running at a 90° angle to one another are critical. A very high waste of at least 20% occurs in the production of round outer contour cross sections.

When honeycomb segments with the cross section of an equilateral triangle are used, as likewise described in EP 1 508 356, they have a very high strength under mechanical stress perpendicular to the flow direction, in particular under stress on the edges. The glued seams in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction advantageously run at an angle of 60° to one another but form many straight continuous seam lines that are very unfavorable for the strength of the assembled honeycomb. It is particularly unfavorable in terms of strength that the segments in the interior of the assembled honeycomb meet at respectively 6 edges or in cross section at 6 corners. The cross section of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction can be designed as an equilateral hexagon or as an elongated hexagon, so when producing round or oval outer-contour cross sections less waste occurs than with the use of honeycomb segments with a square cross section.

When honeycomb segments are used with the cross section of an equilateral regular hexagon, as likewise described in EP 1 508 356, they have a low strength under mechanical stress perpendicular to the flow direction, in particular under stress on the edges. The glued seams in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction advantageously run at an angle of 120° to one another and do not form straight continuous seam lines that are unfavorable for the strength of the assembled honeycombs. It is also advantageous for strength that always only 3 segments meet at the edges or in cross section at 3 corners. However, it is very unfavorable that the outer cross section of the assembled honeycomb always has many concave outer contours so that the assembled honeycombs cannot be sealed and installed unprocessed and a high degree of waste occurs in the production of round or oval outer-contour cross sections.

With other assembled honeycombs, the honeycomb segments have a circle-segment cross section, so that honeycombs with round cross-sectional geometries can be produced from these segments without reworking. However, with a high number of segmentations and large cross-section diameters of the honeycombs, the segments have a very elongated and acute-angled cross-sectional geometry, which is unfavorable for the strength of the individual segments. Moreover, the edges of all of the segments meet in the interior of the honeycomb at one point, which is unfavorable for the strength of the honeycomb. Therefore with large cross-sectional diameters of assembled honeycombs a centric honeycomb with a round cross section is used and around it several satellite honeycomb segments surrounding it are attached, which segments in cross section have the shape of annular segments. However, at least two different segment shapes are necessary for this and the mechanical stability of the concave side of the satellite honeycomb segments is unfavorable.

The object of the present invention is to disclose an assembled honeycomb that is assembled from honeycomb segments with simple cross-sectional shapes with only few variations, has great strength under exterior stress perpendicular to the flow direction and with non-uniform thermal stress, and the individual segments of which have a high strength under mechanical or thermomechanical stress perpendicular to the flow direction.

The object is attained through the invention disclosed in the claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the subordinate claims.

The assembled honeycombs according to the invention are composed of at least two prismatic honeycomb segments, whereby the outer cross section of a honeycomb segment perpendicular to the flow direction is a quadrangle with included angles of 60° and 120° or of 60° and 90° and 120°, with deviations in the angular degrees of respectively no more than 3°, and at least respectively one outer lateral surface of the prismatic honeycomb segments are in contact with one another or connected to one another by adhesive force largely over their entire length and parallel to the flow direction in the interior of the assembled honeycomb, and in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb the corners of the outer cross section of prismatic honeycomb segments meet or are connected to one another by adhesive force as an extension of their sides at least at two but no more than five points, and the assembled honeycomb as a whole has a convex outer geometry with an outer cross section that is convex overall.

Advantageously, all the prismatic honeycomb segments used have the same outer cross section.

Likewise advantageously, the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 60° and with the other two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 120°.

Furthermore advantageously, the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 60° and with the other two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 120°.

Also advantageously, the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 90° and with two included angles of 120° and 60° lying opposite these two angles.

And advantageously the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of an equilateral parallelogram or a trapezoid with a base a that is double the length of the other 3 sides, or of a trapezoid with a base a that is double the length of the opposite side c.

It is advantageous if the corners of the outer cross section of the prismatic honeycomb segments are rounded, where the radii of the corners of the outer cross section can be advantageously 1 to 5 mm.

It is also advantageous if the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is different from the outer cross section of the prismatic honeycomb segments.

It is also advantageous if the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is round, rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal and/or has a wavy structure.

And it is also advantageous if the cross section of the interior of all of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is the same and/or of equal size.

It is furthermore advantageous if the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is different and/or of different sizes.

It is likewise advantageous if the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is alternately different and/or of different sizes.

It is also advantageous if the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is triangular and of the same size.

It is furthermore advantageous if the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is subdivided by webs, whereby the webs can be arranged advantageously in regular geometric patterns over the cross section in the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments and/or whereby the webs can advantageously run over the entire length of the honeycomb segments in the interior of the honeycomb segments and/or whereby the webs in the interior of the honeycomb segments can advantageously form channels over the entire length of the honeycomb segments, which can advantageously have a triangular and/or square and/or rectangular cross section and/or in which the channels in the interior of the honeycomb segments formed by the webs advantageously can be alternately closed at their ends and in the honeycomb segment in each case channels can always be arranged next to one another, in which the closed end is respectively arranged at the other end of the honeycomb, so that an alternating closure of the ends of the channels lying next to one another of the honeycomb segment can be present at respectively one end of the honeycomb.

It is likewise advantageous if the convex outer cross section of the entire honeycomb is a symmetrical or elongated hexagon or a rectangle, whereby honeycomb segments with an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 90° and with two included angles of 120° and 60° lying opposite these two angles are advantageously used to achieve a rectangular outer cross section of the entire honeycomb.

And it is also advantageous if at least the outer wall of the honeycomb segments has a rough surface structure, whereby the outer wall of the honeycomb segments advantageously has a rougher surface than the inner wall of the honeycomb segments and/or the outer wall of the honeycomb segments has fixing grooves over the length of the honeycomb segments and/or only the areas of contact of the honeycomb segments have surface structures.

Advantageously, the outer lateral surfaces of the honeycomb segments that are connected to one another by adhesive force are connected to one another by adhesive force by a glue.

Also advantageously, the honeycomb segments are composed entirely or in part of ceramic and/or metallic materials, whereby these are advantageously Al203, Cordierite, mullite, titanium oxide, aluminum titanate, silicon carbide, silicon-silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride or mixtures of these ceramics or ceramets thereof or sintered steel.

It is advantageous if the glue is composed of inorganic constituents and a ceramic filler and a binder, whereby advantageously ceramic powders or ceramic powders and ceramic fibers are present as ceramic fillers and/or the ceramic powder is the same material that forms the walls of the honeycomb segments and/or hydraulic binders are used as a binder, such as, advantageously as a binder Ca-aluminates, aluminum phosphates, sodium silicates (water glass), silica sols and/or hardening resins.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the entire surface of one or more honeycomb segments or parts thereof is coated with catalyst material of noble metals, doped titanium oxides and/or zeolites.

It is also advantageous if the entire surface of one or more honeycomb segments or parts thereof is coated with adsorbents of activated carbon, zeolites and/or lithium silicates.

It is also advantageous if the convex outer contour of the honeycomb is treated mechanically and/or chemically after the assembly of the honeycomb to change the outer cross section of the honeycomb, advantageously a round or oval outer cross section of the assembled honeycomb being present.

It is likewise advantageous if the assembled honeycomb is mechanically braced and/or covered.

With the assembled honeycomb according to the invention, a component part is available which can be produced simply and cost-effectively by the use of as far as possible only one cross-sectional shape of honeycomb segments. A high strength under external stress and non-uniform thermal load is thus likewise achieved.

Through the assembly of the honeycomb according to the invention from several individual honeycomb segments, a complete surface coverage of the cross-sectional surface of the honeycomb and in volume also over its entire length is possible, which coverage is interrupted only by the thin adhesive layers, i.e., no undesirable voids occur between the honeycomb segments in the volume of the assembled honeycomb.

Furthermore, the interior of one individual or of several or of all honeycomb segments can also be subdivided by webs. The interior thereby means the space that is enclosed by the four lateral walls of a honeycomb segment. The geometrical shape of the interior of the honeycomb segments will often exhibit the same geometric shape of the outer cross section of the honeycomb segments due to manufacture, but can also have a geometric shape deviating therefrom. The webs that subdivide the volume of the interior are advantageously composed of the same material as the honeycomb segment walls. It is also advantageous if the webs are arranged uniformly distributed over the cross section as well as over the length of the honeycomb segments over the entire interior. They can thereby likewise advantageously surround a space that has the same geometric shape as that of the outer cross section and/or of the interior, or different shapes. Triangular shapes can thereby be advantageously mentioned as deviating geometric shapes, or those that at least in part have curved sides, if the interior of the honeycomb segments, e.g., in the corners, is embodied in a rounded manner.

Furthermore for cost reasons and reasons of production logistics it is desirable to use only one cross-sectional shape or only a small number of different cross-sectional shapes. This is possible through the solution according to the invention. Moreover, according to the invention, the individual honeycomb segments can have an identical or a similar outer cross-sectional area and thus approximately the same volume, whereby the thermal stresses can be kept approximately the same in all of the segments.

The geometric size and length of the honeycomb segments and of the assembled honeycomb depends on the respective use as well as on business management considerations and can be easily determined by one skilled in the art through simple calculations or by tests.

It is likewise important that a specific, usually predetermined, outer contour can be achieved with the assembled honeycombs according to the invention, whereby the honeycombs according to the invention can be easily installed in technical peripheral equipment and are there protected from or can be sealed from mechanical stresses, e.g., shocks and vibrations in order to avoid edge flow effects of the exhaust gas to be treated. With diesel particulate filters and catalyst substrates of the automotive field, this is referred to as canning, in which the (assembled) honeycombs are provided with a metallic cover on the outer casing parallel to the flow direction. To this end the outer casing surface of the assembled honeycomb lying parallel to the flow direction is wrapped with a bearing and sealing mat and provided with a metal casing. The two end faces of the honeycomb located perpendicular to the flow direction thereby remain free, in order to guarantee the exhaust gas can enter and exit. Mechanical stresses of the assembled honeycomb also occur during packing (canning), in particular compressive stresses perpendicular to the flow direction of the honeycomb. It is advantageous for the assembled honeycombs according to the invention to have a convex structure, i.e., curved outwards, in the outer cross section perpendicular to the flow direction, since concave areas in the outer contour are difficult to seal and have only low strength. Round or oval outer cross sections of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction are therefore particularly preferred, since they can be well sealed and the forces occurring hereby are uniformly distributed.

It is disadvantageous for the strength of the assembled honeycomb if the connection points of the individual honeycomb segments in the cross section perpendicular to the flow direction (i.e., the seam lines) form many longer continuous straight lines, since the lower strength of the connection points is hereby disadvantageous and a complete tear of the assembled honeycomb can occur at the joints with a load from external or internal mechanical stresses.

It is likewise disadvantageous in terms of strength if very many edges of the individual segment cross sections meet when several segments meet in the interior of the cross section of the assembled honeycomb perpendicular to the flow direction, since the low strength of the joints here likewise has a disadvantageous effect.

If the corners and edges as defined by the invention meet, on the one hand the contact of one or more corners and edges of the individual honeycomb segments and/or the webs in the interior of the honeycomb segments can be among one another. In the case of rounded corners and edges, the meeting of these corners and edges means that the extensions of their lateral surfaces or lines meet at one point.

These disadvantages are overcome with the honeycomb according to the invention.

However, filters free of gaps can also be assembled from the prismatic honeycomb segments according to the invention with a rectangular outer cross section even with only one cross-sectional shape.

Low reworking is likewise possible with the solution according to the invention, although an extensive filling of a round or oval outer cross section of the assembled honeycomb can be achieved due to the selected outer cross sections of the honeycomb segments and their arrangement with respect to one another.

In any case, less waste occurs through a reworking of an assembled honeycomb according to the invention than with the customary production from honeycomb segments with a square cross section.

However, through the solution according to the invention elongated hexagonal or rectangular outer cross sections of the assembled honeycomb are also possible, which can then be processed to form an oval outer cross section.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the surface of the outer walls of the honeycomb segments can be smooth or provided with special surface structure/roughness, with fixing grooves or with a coating, which can be the same on all of the surfaces or different on each side of the honeycomb segments (U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,585 B1).

It is also advantageous if at least the surfaces that come into contact with the medium are coated with, e.g., a catalyst bed.

The invention is explained in greater detail below based on an exemplary embodiment.

They show

FIG. 1 The outer cross sections of the honeycomb segments

FIG. 1.1 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment that is embodied as a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 60° and 120°

FIG. 1.1.1 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment as in FIG. 1.1, in which the cross section assumes the shape of a trapezoid with a base a, which has double the length of the other three sides c

FIG. 1.2 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment that is embodied as a quadrangle with two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 60° and with the other two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 120°

FIG. 1.2.1 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment as in FIG. 1.2, with which the cross section has the shape of an equilateral parallelogram (rhombus)

FIG. 1.3 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment that is embodied as a quadrangle with included angles of 60, 90 and 120°

FIG. 1.3.1 The outer cross section of a honeycomb segment as in FIG. 1.3, in which the cross section assumes the shape of a trapezoid with a base a, which has double the length of the side c lying opposite

FIG. 1.4 A prismatic honeycomb segment with a cross section according to FIG. 1.1

FIG. 1.5 A prismatic honeycomb segment according to FIG. 1.4 with rounded longitudinal edges

FIG. 2 The outer cross sections of the unprocessed assembled honeycombs

FIG. 2.1 The cross section of a honeycomb assembled from 2 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.1 and 2 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.2

FIG. 2.2 The cross section of a honeycomb assembled from 8 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.1.1

FIG. 2.3 The cross section of a honeycomb assembled from 12 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.2.1

FIG. 2.4 The cross section of a honeycomb assembled from 24 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.3.1

FIG. 2.5 The cross section of a honeycomb assembled from 36 honeycomb segments according to FIG. 1.3.1

FIG. 2.6 A honeycomb assembled from 8 prismatic honeycomb segments with cross sections according to FIG. 1.1.1

FIG. 3 A possible honeycomb structure of a honeycomb segment according to FIG. 1.1 shown diagrammatically in cross section

FIG. 4 A possible honeycomb structure of a honeycomb segment according to FIG. 1.3.1 with rounded corners shown diagrammatically in cross section

FIG. 5 A honeycomb assembled from 16 prismatic honeycomb segments with cross sections according to FIG. 1.3.1 with rounded edges, honeycomb structure and adhesive seams.

EXAMPLE 1

73.5% of a silicon carbide powder with an average grain size of 30 μm is mixed and kneaded with 1% aluminum oxide and 0.5% yttrium oxide, 7% methyl cellulose as a binder, 3% plasticizer, 1% lubricant and 14% water. The mass is pressed with a screw-type extruder through a honeycomb die to form prismatic strands that have an outer cross section according to FIG. 1.3.1. The length of side c is 34.5 mm. The outer corners are rounded with a radius of 2.6 at the 120 and 90° corners and with a radius of 1.9 mm at the 60° corner. The honeycomb die has a structure such that an inner structure and an outer cross section according to FIG. 4 are formed in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the prismatic strands, the wall thickness of the webs being approx. 350 μm.

The prismatic strand is cut with a knife to individual prismatic honeycomb segments of approx. 250 mm length, and the segments are subsequently dried in dry molds for two days at 40° C. Then the honeycomb segments at both end faces of the prism are cut with a diamond saw perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to a precise measurement of 230 mm length.

73.5% of a silicon carbide powder with an average grain size of 30 μm is mixed with 1% aluminum oxide and 0.5% yttrium oxide, 3% methyl cellulose and 22% water and the resulting mass is inserted alternately approx. 5 mm deep into the honeycomb channels by means of a tubule from the end faces such that one channel on one end face is always alternately closed and remains free on the opposite side, and on one end face a closed channel is always adjacent to an open channel.

The honeycomb segments are sintered in a protective atmosphere furnace in an argon atmosphere at 1950° with 2 hours' dwell time.

30% of a silicon carbide powder with an average grain size of 5 μm is mixed with 25% aluminum silicate short fibers, 15% silica sol (30%) and 30% water to form a ceramic adhesive. The adhesive mass is applied thinly to the lateral prism surfaces of 36 sintered honeycomb segments, and these are arranged such that an arrangement according to FIG. 2.5 results in the cross section. Adhesive gaps result between the segments, which gaps are 1.8 mm thick in cross section. After adhesion, the honeycomb is placed in a drying mold and dried for 2 days at 120° C.

The adhesive seams do not produce straight continuous lines in cross section, and the corners of the honeycomb segments produce common adhesive points at 2, 3, 4 or 5 points.

The assembled honeycomb has the shape of a right-angled prism, the base area of which forms a regular hexagon. The distance between the sides of the hexagon lying opposite one another is approx. 250 mm; the length of the prism, 230 mm. The honeycomb can be installed in a cylindrical metal housing without waste and used as a diesel particulate filter for a construction machine. 

1. Assembled honeycomb, comprising at least two prismatic honeycomb segments, whereby the outer cross section of a honeycomb segment perpendicular to the flow direction is a quadrangle with included angles of 60° and 120° or of 60° and 90° and 120°, with deviations in the angular degrees of respectively no more than 3°, and at least respectively one outer lateral surface of the prismatic honeycomb segments are in contact with one another or connected to one another by adhesive force largely over their entire length and parallel to the flow direction in the interior of the assembled honeycomb, and in the cross section of the assembled honeycomb the corners of the outer cross section of prismatic honeycomb segments meet or are connected to one another by adhesive force as an extension of their sides at least at two but no more than five points, and the assembled honeycomb as a whole has a convex outer geometry with an outer cross section that is convex overall.
 2. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which all the prismatic honeycomb segments used have the same outer cross section.
 3. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 60° and with the other two included angles lying opposite one another of respectively 120°.
 4. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 60° and with the other two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 120°.
 5. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 90° and with two included angles of 120° and 60° lying opposite these two angles.
 6. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the prismatic honeycomb segments have an outer cross section of an equilateral parallelogram or a trapezoid with a base a, which is double the length of the other 3 sides, or a trapezoid with a base a that is double the length of the side c lying opposite.
 7. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the corners of the outer cross section of the prismatic honeycomb segments are rounded.
 8. Honeycomb according to claim 7, in which the radii of the corners of the outer cross section are from 1 to 5 mm.
 9. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is different from the outer cross section of the prismatic honeycomb segments.
 10. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is round, rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal and/or has a wavy structure.
 11. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of all of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is identical and/or of equal size.
 12. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is different and/or of different size.
 13. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is alternately different and/or of different size.
 14. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the cross section of the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments of the honeycomb is triangular and of the same size.
 15. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments is subdivided by webs.
 16. Honeycomb according to claim 15, in which the webs are arranged in regular geometric patterns over the cross section in the interior of the prismatic honeycomb segments.
 17. Honeycomb according to claim 15, in which the webs run over the entire length of the honeycomb segments in the interior of the honeycomb segments.
 18. Honeycomb according to claim 15, in which the webs form channels over the entire length of the honeycomb segments in the interior of the honeycomb segments.
 19. Honeycomb according to claim 18, in which the channels have a triangular and/or square and/or rectangular cross section.
 20. Honeycomb according to claim 18, in which the channels formed by the webs in the interior of the honeycomb segments are alternately closed at their ends and in the honeycomb segment in each case channels are always arranged next to one another, in which the closed end is respectively arranged at the other end of the honeycomb, so that an alternating closure of the ends of the channels lying next to one another of the honeycomb segment is present at respectively one end of the honeycomb.
 21. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the convex outer cross section of the entire honeycomb is a symmetrical or elongated hexagon or a rectangle.
 22. Honeycomb according to claim 21, in which honeycomb segments with an outer cross section of a quadrangle with two included angles lying next to one another of respectively 90° and with two included angles of 120° and 60° lying opposite these two angles are used to obtain a rectangular outer cross section of the entire honeycomb.
 23. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which at least the outer wall of the honeycomb segments has a rough surface structure.
 24. Honeycomb according to claim 23, in which the outer wall of the honeycomb segments has a rougher surface than the inner wall of the honeycomb segments.
 25. Honeycomb according to claim 23, in which the outer wall of the honeycomb segments has fixing grooves over the length of the honeycomb segments.
 26. Honeycomb according to claim 23, in which only the contact surfaces of the honeycomb segments have surface structures.
 27. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the outer lateral surfaces of the honeycomb segments that are connected to one another by adhesive force, are connected by adhesive force by a glue.
 28. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the honeycomb segments are composed entirely or in part of ceramic and/or metallic materials.
 29. Honeycomb according to claim 28, in which the honeycomb segments are composed of Al2O3, Cordierite, mullite, titanium oxide, aluminum titanate, silicon carbide, silicon silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride or of mixtures of these ceramics or of ceramets thereof.
 30. Honeycomb according to claim 28, in which the honeycomb segments are composed of sintered steel.
 31. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the glue is composed of inorganic constituents and a ceramic filler and a binder.
 32. Honeycomb according to claim 31, in which ceramic powders or ceramic powders and ceramic fibers are present as ceramic fillers.
 33. Honeycomb according to claim 32, in which the ceramic powder is the same material that forms the walls of the honeycomb segments.
 34. Honeycomb according to claim 31, in which hydraulic binders are used as a binder.
 35. Honeycomb according to claim 31, in which Ca-aluminates, aluminum phosphates, sodium silicates (water glass), silica sols and/or hardening resins are present as a binder.
 36. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the entire surface of one or several honeycomb segments or parts thereof is coated with catalyst material of noble metals, doped titanium oxides and/or zeolites.
 37. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the entire surface of one or more honeycomb segments or parts thereof is coated with adsorbents of activated carbon, zeolites and/or lithium silicates.
 38. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the convex outer contour of the honeycomb is treated mechanically and/or chemically after the assembly of the honeycomb to change the outer cross section of the honeycomb.
 39. Honeycomb according to claim 38, in which a round or oval outer cross section of the assembled honeycomb is present.
 40. Honeycomb according to claim 1, in which the assembled honeycomb is mechanically braced and/or covered. 